Label wiper



Dec. 30, 1930. A. P. EKVALL 1,785,940

LABEL wIPEa Filed Feb. 27, 192e 4 'sheets-sheet, 1

A. P. EKVALL Dec. 30, 1930.

LABEL WIPER FiledFeb. 27-

, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

JrvidREmvalz,

Dec. so, 1930. -A. P. EKVALL 1,786,940

LABELv wIPER Filed Feb. 27, 192% 4 sheets-sheet. 3

.r/vMBElwazl,

Dec. 30y 1930. A. P. EKVALL 1,785,940

LABEL WIPER Filed Feb. 27, 1928 4 v.Sheets-Sheet. 4

dlr/vid BETULLLZ,

'A30 labelled.

Patented Dec. 30, 1930 rArErpf-oFFICE Anvrn r. ExvALL, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenon To ECONOMIC MA- "CHINEE'Y COMPANY, OE wonCEsTEn, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION or MASSA- CHIUSETTS LABEL WIPER #Application filed February 2?,A 1928. Serial 1\1'o.25'?,315;,`v

This invention relates to a label wiping mechanism whichr is adapted to work inconjunction with the labelling machine as described in my prior Patent No. 1,630,235, is-

y5 sued May 24., 1927.Y Generally speaking, in machines of the type'just mentioned, it has been found that the lateral edges of the label are not firmly and securely aiiiXed to the bottle or obj ect being labelled, and it is, therefore, the `main feature of this present im-l provement to remedy this defect.

Another object of the invention resides in the manner in which the bottle or object is f gripped or clamped between two carrying members andxwhile in..this gripped or clamped position the bottle or Object is positively carried past and subjected to the action offa label wiping mechanism. o .f A'further obj ect of the present invention is the provision ofan adjustment forl the label wiping mechanism wherein said mechanism may be caused to coact with bottles or objects of `various sizes and shapes. l A still further object of thel present improvement resides in the novel and efficient manner of causing inwardmovement of the oppositely disposed wipers byfwhich movement the wipers are positively caused to follow the contour or shape of thearticle being While in the foregoing I have briefly described some of the objects of the present in-v vention, it willbe readily understood that others will be suggested to persons skilled in 35 this particular line of apparatus Vand that certain changes in construction may be resorted to without sacrificing any of the spirit of the invention. Also in the accompanying drawings I have shown, andin this specifi- 40 cation I have described the application of a label to a bottle, it will be realized that other objects or articles may be treated or handled in alike manner. The drawings should, therefore, be considered merely as illustrative Vand notin a 'limiting sense whatsoever so long as the structure falls within the scope of the appended claims. v In the drawings similar letters of reference indicate likeparts throughout the Several views'whereiib Figure lis a rear elevation-.of the label` wiping mechanism with parts 'broken away tomore clearlyfset forth the operating features of thewipers.

Figure 2 is a side view of the mechanism at the label wiping station in the machine.V v Y j igure 3 isa top plan view of the 'showin made in Figure 2;

views of the lever which is adapted toactuate the labelwipers. 'I i Figure V7 is an enlarged view of the label wiping members. A v j y f 5i In making specific referencetothe drawings 1 ydesignates the machine base or bed `upon'which all of the various stations ofthe apparatus are mounted. `As in my prior machine I use a step by step conveyor 2 for carryingthe bottles past the several operative -igures 4, 5 and 6 arey enlarged detail clamping mechanism comprises a pair of reciprocatory actuated bars or slides 5-6 each being suitably supported by guide straps 7-741 The slide 5 is actuated through'a toggle and link connection to the pivoted arm 8., while the slide 6 is similarly operated through connections with pivoted arm` 9. Each of the arms 8 and 9 have intermediate the ends thereof al roller 10. The roller on the arm 8 is in operative engagement with a cam 11 while the roller on the arm 9 coacts with a kcam 12,-both of said cams being rigidlysecured to a power drive shaft 13. Suitable springs 14 are used to' effectively hold the rollers 10 into contacting positions lon the cams 11 and 12. `lAll of this structure is shown inomy prior patent and Vno claim is made thereto in the present case.

Tothe forward end of the slide y6 is secured` a pusher 15 'which is provided with embrace-Or form a seat for the bottle. The

forward end of the slide 5 carries a depending arm 18 to the lower end of which is secured a yieldable pad 19 in opposite facing relation to the pusher 15 to firmly hold the v feed 2 and the inlet end of the! delivery belt 3 is positioned the label applying mechanism .which in the presentiimprovement comprises a pair of oppositely disposed pads yor wipers 2O-2O- These pads in their normal position are'arranged to slightly overlap the forward face of the bottle during the initial entry of the bottle into the wiping station and are thereafter'caused to follow the side contours and slightly around the back of a bottlej during its transit through the wiping station. In order toaccomplishthis traversing movement of the wipers 20-20 around *theV bottle, the said pads are each mounted on oppositely actuated members. which operate in timed unison with the balance of the machine.

- On the machine base or bed 1 and extend- `ing longitudinally thereof is positioned a plate or frame 21 and extending across the top of this plate is a rod 22. Slidably mounted on the rod 22 is a pair of oppositely actuated members 23-.-23, leach of said members having an upstanding portion 24 and a depending arm 25. The lower extremity of the arms 25 extend within a guide 26, thus preventing the member 23 from having any pivotal action or movement on the rod 22. The upstanding portions 24 are slightly'recessed to receive the wiping pads 20. These pads are removably secured in position by any suitable 'connection as suggested at 27-27 and in order' to add tension toV the pads through their wiping coaction with the bottle a flat springblade 28 is associated with each of them. PiVOtallyseCured to the plate 21 is a pair of bell cranks 29-29, the upper armof each being connected through 'a l-ink 30-30 to one of the slidable members 23423. The opposite arm of each bell crank is pivotally connected to a cross arm 31 through the link connections 32--32 The cross arm 31 is rigidly secured to the reciprocatory rod 33 vwhich is retained in its true vertical position by the guide eye 34.

Rigidly secured to the power shaft -between the cams 11 and 12 isa double cam 35 either of which is` adapted `Vto actuate vthevwipers 20 through the employment Yof .the pivoted lever 36 carrying roller .37 Aand having a pivwhich is pivotally mounted an arm 42, the

forward end of this arm being split or bifurcated as at 43 to straddle the roller 37 While the .rear end of the arm is provided with a clamping stud 44 or similar device.y The rear end yof the levers36 is slotted as at 45 to receive the stud 44. When it is desired to shift the roller 37 so that the same Will have operative engagement with the opposite cam, the fastening stud 44 is'loosened and the arm 42 is moved aboutV itsV pivot, this causing a shifting action-of the roller 37 along the A shaft 40 after which the arm 42 is again locked against movement by the fastening stud 44. f Y

lWhen the bottlesarrive at the exit end of the conveyor 2, the label has only been partially applied thereto. Asl in myv prior patent the lateral edges are -still free and unattached 'to the vsurface of {the bottle. At this exit end of vconveyor 2 the bottle is grasped or gripped by the'pusher 15 and the depending i finger 18V and in this-secured position it is projected forward. The wipers 2O are extended sufiicientlyto project vinto the path of movement of thefbottle and will, therefore, come in contactwith theflabel on opposite sides ofthe securedV center and during the continued forward movement of the bottle, said wipers will bend or flex which effectively smoothes and presses the label on to the forward portion of the bottle. During` all of theaction just described the wipers have been merely flexed from their normal straight position, no movement whatsoever having been given to the wiper carrying arms. The aiiixing of the ends of the label is attended to by the inward movements of the slidable members 23-23 which carry the wipers' 20--2O.Y During this inward movement the wipers are subjected to a pulling action created-by the advancing bottle and also to a pushing action caused by the inward movement of the slidable members 23, such actions resulting in extreme flexing of the wipers. To assist 'the wipers when this occurstheY spring blades 28-28 come into action and add their force to the padsl to i ieu -wipers towards each other, and means for feeding a bottle with a partially applied label to the action of said wipers during the e advancing sliding movements of the latter.

'- 2. In a label wiping mechanism, a plurality of cams for operating said mechanism, and means for selectively actuating said wiping mechanism from either of said cams.

3. In a label wiping mechanism, a pair of oppositely disposed label wiping elements adapted for coaction with the lateral edges of a partially applied label, a plurality of actuated cams, and means for selectively actuating the wiping elements from either of said cams.v v

4:. In a label wiping mechanism, a pair of oppositely disposed slidable wipers adapted for coaction with the lateral edges of a par'- tially applied label, a plurality of actuating 'means for slidably operating said wipers,

and means for selecting one of said actuating means for determining the operation of said wipers.

5. In a label wiping mechanism, a pair of oppositely disposed Y label wiping elements adapted for coaction with the lateral edgesl of a partially applied label, a plurality of yactuated cams, alever having an adjustable roller thereon adapted for coaction with either of said cams, means for retaining said roller in its desired adjusted position and an operative connection between the lever and the wiping elements. n

6. In a label wiping mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely disposed slidable wipers, means for advancing 'a bottle with a partially applied label thereon between said wip-ers, and a positive actuated means for simultaneously sliding said wipers toward each other during the advancement of the bottle between said wipers.

7. In a label wiping mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely disposed wipers, means for advancing a bottle with a partially applied label thereon between said wipers, and a positive actuated means for simultaneously sliding said wipers relative to the surface of the bottle during the` advancement of the bottle between said wipers.

- 8. In a label wiping mechanism compris-` f ing a pair of oppositely disposed flexible wipers, means for advancing a bottle with a partially appliedl label thereon between said wipers to initially iex said wipers, and means for simultaneously moving said wipers towards each other to maintain said wipers in a flexed condition.

9. In a label wiping mechanism comprising a pair of oppositely disposed slidable members, a Vflexible wiping pad carried `by each ofrsaid slidable members, means for advancing' a bottle with apartially applied label thereon between said slidable members. lthereby flexing said wiping pads to one side oi' their axial alinement, and positive actuated means for moving said slidable membersv to maintain inaleXed position during the advancement ofthe bottle to press the ends of the label on to the surface of the bottle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature.

YAnvil) P. EKvALL.

lio 

